


Even Widows and Soldiers

by Sadboi_loki



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Red Room (Marvel), yeah um mainly red room stuff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-09
Updated: 2020-07-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:55:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25159609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sadboi_loki/pseuds/Sadboi_loki
Summary: “Your name is James.” She said.He looked at her, furrowing his brow“kakiye?”he asked. She sighed, “Your name is James Buchanan Barnes.”He was taken aback, he had never been able to think too hard about his lifebefore.“I don’t have a name.” He said decidedly.She looked up at him sadly, he’d been told they’d met before but he couldn’t remember. “Everyone has a name, even soldiers and widows,”
Relationships: Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes & Natasha Romanov
Kudos: 2





	1. Their first meeting

**Author's Note:**

> Hey- hope you enjoy :)

Natalia Romanova grew up in an old brick house in the woods. She had no memories of her life before the Red Room and didn’t know if she had any. She had been starved, beaten, and seen death more times than she could count. When she was 9 years old she met the _Zimniy Soldat_ for the first time. He had come to train her and her ‘sisters’. 

_“Privet”_ she had said to him. She wasn’t supposed to be up but she couldn’t sleep and had been trained too well to be caught. Madame B., and Iosef had greeted him in the Headmistress’ office. He had left after a couple of minutes and sat on the couch in the hall outside the door, staring blankly at the wall. 

He startled out of his trance and looked down at the girl who sat at the other end of the couch. 

_“Kak tebya zovut?”_ She asked. 

He gave her a small smile “My name is-“ his face fell and he furrowed his brow as if he’d lost his train of thought. “YA soldat.”

_“Oy…”_ Her face fell. She couldn't remember the last time she met someone new and when she finally does he doesn’t know who he is.

She could hear Iosef’s heavy boots nearing the door _“Proshchay!”_ She whispered and ran off.

The next day she woke up early. Her classmates low breathing as they slept in the beds surrounding her obscured any noises she made as she got ready, brushing her teeth, washing her face and hands, brushing her hair, and getting dressed. She sat on her bed, excitedly tapping her fingers on the metal frame. As she waited she stared at the clock over the doorway into the sleeping quarters her nervous excitement growing with every minute that ticked by. 

When Madame B. finally came in ringing her bell, her high heels clicking against the cold concrete floor, Natalia thought she would burst with excitement. Madame B. scanned the room as the girls rubbed the sleep from their eyes and quickly made their way out of bed. She caught Natalia’s eye and straightened “ _Krasnyy! Davay” _she said beckoning her. Natalia ran, weaving through the beds and girls obstructing her way. When she approached the woman she gave a small bow. The Headmistress ignored her and turned and walked up the stairs and Natalia followed. When she reached the top of the steps Natalia saw that the Soldat was waiting at the end of the hallway.__

____

“You will have 30 minutes to train with him alone before the others come. We brought him here for you. You are better than them,” the Headmistress crouched down to tell her, “Go,” she said, and Natalia slowly walked down the hall.

____

The Soldat nodded at Natalia and walked into the training room. She followed him into the middle of the room. It had wall to wall mats, though the older girls practiced on the hard wood. “YA Natalia,” she said, holding out her hand to shake. He gave her a blank look. That was when she noticed he had a metal arm. She scolded herself for missing something so obvious.

____

“ _Er...budet li mne bol'no?” _She asked, pointing to the arm. “No,” he replied softly. She remembered last night when he had started to speak to her in English. “So… what exactly are you going to teach me?” She looked down at her feet, fidgeting. “I want you to attack me and I’ll teach you how to start a fight better,” he replied in perfect English. Natalia nodded, “So I’m just going to back up and you’ll come at me,” he gave her a slight smile. He walked backwards 5 feet and beckoned her. Natalia thought for a moment and ran. She ran right past him, as he turned his head, confused, she jumped and hooked her arm around the man’s neck and climbed onto his back. She gripped his shoulder with her free hand. Her head rested on his neck “This is where I would slit your throat” she beamed, he gave an awkward chuckle “Well, that was very good using the element of surprise. I’ve certainly never had anyone fight me like that,” her eyes widened and she hopped off of his back, her ballet flats barely making a noise on the padded floors and came round to face the man.__

______ _ _

“Do you always win? I do, Headmistress says I’m special,” she boasted. “Well, most of the time yeah, I do win. Usually I have to resc-” he paused and stumbled back “I… don’t. Where-“ he looked around frantically and locked eyes with Natalia “Who are you?” She stared at him “What are you talking about? Are you unwell, _Soldat?”_

______ _ _

“Who are you?” he demanded “Wh-where am I?” 

______ _ _

Natalia didn’t know what to do, she didn’t know if this was somehow part of training. She didn’t want to come off as weak or stupid.

______ _ _

“Am I supposed to fight you now?” 

______ _ _

“What is this place?”

______ _ _

Ohhh, she thought. She smiled, “I would never reveal such sensitive information to a foreigner. I am a real spy,” she waited for him to congratulate her for passing the test but he just looked more confused. “Where’s Steve?” He paused again “the train-“ his eyes rolled back and he crumpled to the floor. 

______ _ _

Natalia just stared in shock. “Headmistress!” She called. She heard Madame B.’s heels clicking against the floor and the door flung open. _“Da rebenok?” _She sighed, then she saw the man on the floor _“Ty sdelal eto?” _She demanded, “No!” Natalia cried “He was telling me about fighting and then he asked me where he was and who I am and then he fainted,” she explained. “This is not good, stay with him. I must phone his handler,” the Headmistress turned on her heels and once she was out of the room Natalia ran to the man’s side.____

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“Hello?” She asked, kneeling down and opening his eye with her thumb and pointer finger. He stayed dead to the world. “I hope you do not get in trouble, it was my fault. I hate punishment, I once spoke back to Madame B. and she locked me in a closet for three days,” she punched his shoulder lightly “When you wake up I hope you tell me who Steve is. I have barely met anybody and you are so kind, I hope this does not render you comatose. I learned that word in the medical dictionary. Comas do not seem good, I would not like to dream all the time. Dreams are so often nightmares in disguise…”

_________ _ _ _ _ _


	2. The second meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He stopped and put Natalia down. She looked around to see what he had spotted when she saw him. A black-clothed figure bleeding crimson contrast onto the snow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like it, Russian translations in the end notes

The second time Natalia met the _Zimniy Soldat_ she was 12 years old. The Headmistress has received a call whilst informing Natalia about an upcoming mission. She had picked up the phone and she startled still, _“On gde?”_ She pinched the bridge of her nose, “Da, ya poshlyu Iosefa,” she hung up and wrote something onto a piece of paper _“Natalia! Otnesi eto Iosifu!”_

Natalia nodded and ran to Iosef’s lodge in the woods, she was barefoot and the wet December snow hurt her feet. She knocked in the pattern she had practiced and Iosef opened the door for her. “Natalia?” He asked looking down at the child, she gave him the note and shivered. Iosef nodded and quickly read it. He pulled on his coat and boots. He stepped out of the lodge and looked down at Natalia and shook his head he disapprovingly. He picked up the girl and she sighed in relief. He took the sled from out front and supplies from the first aid kit nailed onto the door of his home. They trudged further into the woods in a comfortable silence. 

He stopped and put Natalia down. She looked around to see what he had spotted when she saw him. A black-clothed figure bleeding crimson contrast onto the snow. Iosef stomped towards him, sled in tow. He said something to the Soldat that Natasha could not hear. The Soldat did not respond. Iosef picked him up by the arms and dragged him onto the sled, a loud groan came from the man as he bled but he did not protest. Iosef walked towards the house and Natasha followed, staring at the trail of blood the man left in his wake. She’d seen blood. She’d seen a lot of blood. This felt different, she didn’t know why. She looked at his head hanging limply off the end of the sled and almost shrieked when his eyes opened and met hers. He furrowed his brow and fell back into unconscious almost immediately. When they reached the house there were three older girls waiting outside.

They ran to the sled and thanked Iosef. The girls picked up the Soldat and hurriedly took him into the house. Natalia followed them ten feet behind. Her feet were crying in pain. When she finally reached the house she stumbled to the sleeping quarters and made her way to her cot. She snuggled under the blankets like the other girls and despite the excitement she dozed off quickly. 

Natalia woke in the middle of the night and knew what she wanted to do. She waited for her eyes to adjust to the dark and when they did she snuck up the stairs, avoiding the creaky parts. She quietly walked to the infirmary trying to remember every creaky floorboard on the way. When she arrived she heard nothing but the steady beep of an EKG. She slowly turned the door knob and cracked the door. There was no one except him. She crept into the room and heard his bedsheets rustle. _“Privet?”_ He croaked. She stopped. _“YA tebya vizhu,”with her?_ \- She didn’t understand the difference, nor did she care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed, here are the Russian translations :)
> 
> On gde: he’s where?
> 
> Da, ya poshlyu Iosefa: yes, I’ll tell Iosef 
> 
> Otnesi eto Iosifu: take this to Iosef
> 
> Privet: hello
> 
> YA tebya vizhu: I can see you

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo, I know that was short but I’m almost finished with like the whole thing so it’ll probably be updated daily. If you liked it you can check out my tumblr (https://the-red-room-files.tumblr.com/) for more Nat content. Oh and here’s the translations for the Russian (Got it from google translate so might not be entirely accurate lol)
> 
> Privet: Hello
> 
> Kak tebya zovut: what’s your name
> 
> YA soldat: I’m the soldier
> 
> oy: Oh
> 
> Proshchay: goodbye
> 
> Krasnyy! Davay: Red! Come here
> 
> YA Natalia: I’m Natasha/Natalia
> 
> budet li mne bol'no: will that hurt me?
> 
> Da rebenok: yes child?
> 
> Ty sdelal eto: did you do this?


End file.
